Europe is the most technologically-ready region of the world, according to a report released this week from the World Economic Forum.

Seven of the top 10 countries in the Forum's 2016 Global Information Technology Report were in Europe, including Switzerland, Scandinavia and most of the United Kingdom. The United States placed fifth, behind Singapore, Finland, Sweden, and Norway.

The report is made up of 53 metrics intended to paint a picture of each country's "network readiness," including everything from the percentage of citizens using the Internet to the efficiency of legal system in settling disputes.

Although Europe had a strong showing at the top of the list, it also has one of the widest disparities, with Greece taking 70th place and Bosnia and Herzegovina coming in 97th.

The US, meanwhile, received high marks for its business and innovation environment, ranking third overall. But it lagged behind in educational skills (27th) and political and regulatory environment (21st).

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One of the most surprising trends was a disparity in the cost of Internet access in developing nations: Pakistan had the most affordable Internet access delivered via broadband or mobile networks, with Vietnam and India also in the top 10 most affordable. Other developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, placed near the bottom.

Overall, the report found a disparity between consumers' desire for technology and the capability of businesses and governments to provide it. "In recent years, digital innovation has been primarily driven by consumer demand," the report said. "Yet this increasing demand for digital products and services by a global consumer base is largely being met by a relatively small number of companies."

About the Author

As a hardware analyst, Tom tests and reviews laptops, peripherals, and much more at PC Labs in New York City. He previously covered the consumer tech beat as a news reporter for PCMag in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, where he rode in several self-driving cars and witnessed the rise and fall of many startups. Before that, he worked for PCMag's s... See Full Bio

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